Latest news with #Meghachandra
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Manipur Cong criticises Prez Rule extension plan, raps BJP for crisis
Imphal: Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra has slammed the NDA-led central govt's plan for the six-month extension of President's Rule in Manipur. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He called the move "a serious blow to democratic values and the federal spirit enshrined in the Constitution". He was speaking to reporters after attending a free medical camp in the Uripok Assembly Constituency. Meghachandra said the extension bypasses the will of the people and blamed BJP MLAs in the state for the political vacuum that led to the extension. "President's Rule has been imposed and extended because the BJP, despite having the numbers, failed to elect a capable leader to steer the govt," he said. He added that President's Rule is meant to be a temporary measure to restore peace and order. However, its extension due to alleged law and order failures sets a "dangerous and unprecedented" trend "that undermines democratic institutions and constitutional governance", he added. He also criticised both the NDA govt at the Centre and the former BJP-led state govt for their lack of serious initiative in resolving the ongoing crisis. He alleged that neither took concrete steps to draft a roadmap for peace and reconciliation. He also pointed out the BJP's failure to convene an all-party meeting since the crisis erupted in 2023. "How could Prime Minister Narendra Modi remain silent on the Manipur crisis for over two years? His silence is deeply disappointing and reflects BJP's intent to allow President's Rule to linger," Meghachandra said. "The current political and administrative uncertainty could have been avoided if the BJP had demonstrated responsible leadership and democratic will," he added.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Resettlement plan for violence-displaced unclear: Manipur Congress chief
BISHNUPUR (Manipur) The Manipur government's three-phase resettlement plan for people displaced by a long-drawn conflict lacks clarity and could deepen the divide between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo people, State Congress president Keisham Meghachandra said. He said the government's decision to execute the plan by December would merely result in shifting the internally displaced people (IDP) from relief camps to prefabricated units, both in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo-inhabited hills, instead of facilitating their return to the homes they abandoned or were forced to leave. Thousands of people — Kuki-Zos from the Imphal Valley and Meiteis from the surrounding hills — were displaced after the ethnic conflict in Manipur broke out on May 3, 2023. On July 4, Manipur's Chief Secretary P.K. Singh said a three-phase resettlement plan for the IDP had been worked out with the Centre. The first of these three phases was underway, and the next two phases would be undertaken in October and December. 'No road map' 'This resettlement plan is unacceptable to the Congress because the government is unclear. There is no concrete road map, and it is designed to deepen the division between the communities and prolong the displacement of the IDP,' Mr. Meghachandra told The Hindu during an inspection of prefabricated houses for the displaced people in Bishnupur district's Phubala and Saitul. 'There are no efforts by the government under the President's Rule to bring the two communities together, and today is the 796th day since the conflict started. It is sad that even after two years and two months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not found time to visit our State or discuss the conflict in Parliament or elsewhere, as if Manipur is not a part of India,' he said. The State Congress president, who represents the Wangkhem constituency in the 60-member Assembly, also slammed the government for claiming Meitei and Kuki-Zo farmers 'working eyeball to eyeball' on the periphery of the Imphal Valley have begun sharing water. 'Water has always been flowing down from the hills to the Valley areas naturally, especially during monsoon,' he said, insisting that the government should show seriousness in thinking about peace to let the communities live together and share resources. 'The government is responsible for what has happened [in Manipur] so far, and it has to take care of what will happen. But this government of the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah is not serious, not sincere,' Mr. Meghachandra said. Announcing the resettlement plan, the Chief Secretary claimed some of the internally displaced people have started 'going back', their number reducing from the initial 62,000 to 57,000. Those who exited the relief camps moved into prefabricated houses, each measuring 20 feet by 20 feet and worth ₹9.3 lakh. Most of the occupied houses are in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts. The Manipur Police Housing Corporation Limited has been entrusted with constructing these prefabricated units.
India Today
29-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Unconstitutional: Congress slams BJP's move to form government in Manipur
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Keisham Meghachandra Singh on Wednesday strongly criticised the BJP-led alliance's renewed efforts to form a government in Manipur, calling the move "constitutionally flawed" and a reflection of a deep leadership from his official residence, Meghachandra questioned the legitimacy of the BJP's claim, especially in the absence of a formally appointed legislature party approach is hollow. The process to stake claim to form a government is flawed. Without a legislature leader, how can they proceed? That is the key question,' he stated. The Congress leader further alleged that the BJP's recent political manoeuvring was driven more by civil society pressure than a genuine democratic mandate.'What they are showing to the public is a result of pressure from Civil Society Organisations. They have also admitted that without the consent of central leaders, they cannot move forward,' he the BJP reportedly holds a numerical majority, Meghachandra argued it lacks the political will and cohesion to govern effectively.'They may have the numbers, but they have no guts to form a government. That's the real crisis. The so-called double engine government has failed even under President's Rule,' he said, highlighting the state's prolonged instability and also criticised the BJP for its inaction over the last two years, especially in restoring peace through constitutional processes.'For over two years, no effective steps have been taken to bring back peace through constitutional means,' he concluded by underlining the BJP's internal disunity, stating it makes forming a stable government impossible.'Even if they have 44 seats, they cannot form a new government without choosing a leader unanimously. It is an impossible mission for the BJP,' he political uncertainty in Manipur continues amid ongoing unrest, deepening the administrative vacuum under President's Watch
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
President's rule failed to maintain peace in Manipur, alleges state Congress chief
Amid protests over concealing the state's name on the windshield of a government bus, Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra alleged that the President's rule has 'failed' to maintain peace in the state. He also claimed Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who took charge in January this year, should be recalled by the Centre. The Centre had on February 13 imposed the President's rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned, following a prolonged ethnic violence in the state. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation. In a post on X, Meghachandra, the Wangkhem MLA, alleged, 'Double-engine government had already failed Manipur for the last more than 2 years. President's Rule, too, has failed Manipur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly fails Manipur. Home Minister Amit Shah should resign. Manipur governor should be recalled.' The term 'double engine' is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state. Manipur Governor had to take a helicopter to fly from Imphal International Airport in order to reach Raj Bhavan, which is around 7 km by road travel from the airport, today. Who instructed Manipur Governor to remove the word 'Manipur' from the Manipur State Transport Corporation… — Keisham Meghachandra Singh (@meghachandra_k) May 26, 2025 The Congress leader's remarks come at a time when the state has been witnessing protests for the last few days over the concealing of the state's name on the windshield of a government bus last week. The protesters have been demanding an apology from the governor for the May 20 incident. The security personnel had stopped the bus at Gwaltabi check post, around 25 km from Imphal, and allegedly forced the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staff to conceal the state's name written on the top of the vehicle's windshield with a piece of white paper. The bus with journalists on board was heading to the Shirui Lily festival in Ukhrul district on May 20 when the incident happened. Referring to the Gwaltabi incident, Meghachandra said, 'Who instructed Manipur Governor to remove the word 'Manipur' from the Manipur State Transport Corporation bus?' To intensify their protest, students and women's groups had on Monday formed a human chain, covering a stretch of six kilometres from Imphal airport to Keisampat, around 200 metres away from the governor's residence. In view of the demonstration, the governor, who had arrived in Imphal from New Delhi on Monday, had taken an Army helicopter to reach Kangla Fort, located around 300 metres from the Raj Bhavan. In a post late on Monday, Meghachandra also said, 'Manipur Governor had to take a helicopter to fly from Imphal International Airport in order to reach Raj Bhavan, which is around 7 km by road travel from the airport, today.' More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.
The Print
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
2 years of Manipur conflict—Congress demands fresh elections, says President's Rule no solution
Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, the party's Manipur unit chief and MLA Keisham Meghachandra Singh said the people of the state would welcome a fresh mandate, as the BJP governments— both in the state and at the Centre—have failed to offer any solution. Even as it described the Centre's move to place Manipur under President's Rule as a direct admission of the BJP's failure, the Congress high command had so far refrained from demanding midterm elections in the state. The BJP had won 32 seats in the 60-member Manipur assembly in the 2022 polls. New Delhi: The Congress Saturday demanded fresh elections in Manipur, where ethnic violence erupted two years ago to the day, saying the imposition of President's rule has failed to resolve the crisis and only a democratically-elected government can restore order in the state. Two years have passed since the outbreak of violence in Manipur on 3rd May 2023, a tragic day that was a black day in our nation's history. The ongoing conflict, which was exacerbated by the BJP-led government's inaction, remains unresolved. BJP's double engine govt is the… — Congress (@INCIndia) May 3, 2025 'If there is no dialogue, if the constitutional machinery has failed, then what should we expect more? We want to have a fresh mandate because the double-engine government has failed to administer the state,' Meghachandra said. 'Even if there is President's Rule, we don't have any trust in it and we demand this fresh mandate. If the Congress comes to power in the state, we can bring peace and normalcy.' At the press conference, the All India Congress Committee's (AICC) Manipur in-charge Saptagiri Ulaka, who represents Odisha's Koraput constituency in the Lok Sabha, echoed Meghachandra's words, saying the President's Rule, imposed in February this year, 'has not been able to provide any solution'. 'We want elections to be held so that there are elected representatives who can form a government. We have seen how the President's Rule has not been able to resolve the crisis. The government is not making any attempts to make an outreach to the different communities either. So, I think that is the only solution, when you have a democratically elected government, then only can you provide a solution to Manipur,' said Ulaka. Over 260 people have been killed, 1,500 injured, and over 60,000 displaced in Manipur since ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and the Kuki communities on 3 May 2023. On 13 February this year, four days after N. Biren Singh resigned as chief minister of Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified the imposition of President's Rule in the state under Article 356 of the Constitution, keeping the Assembly in suspended animation. In April, the Parliament adopted a statutory resolution confirming the imposition of the President's rule in the state. Earlier Saturday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur even once in the last two years as the ethnic chasm deepened. 'What happened to the peace committee announced by the Home Minister? Why didn't you meet the affected people of all communities, even in Delhi? Why didn't you announce a special package for the state? Modi ji, once again, you failed upholding – Rajdharma!' Kharge posted on X. Manipur observes two years of violence without the Prime Minister setting foot on its soil. The violence began on May 3, 2023 and still continues. Just two days ago, 25 people were injured in a violent clash in Tamenglong district. More than 260 people have died. 68,000 people… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 3, 2025 Kharge claimed that the PM made 44 foreign visits during this period and 250 domestic trips across India. 'Yet you have not spent a single second in Manipur. Why this apathy and disdain for the people of Manipur? Where is the political accountability?' (Edited by Sanya Mathur) Also Read: As Centre steps in, Manipur underground groups tell cadre to 'lie low', but situation still volatile
